Loading and unloading mechanism for mixing-drums or other receptacles.



W. B. HAHN. LOADING AND UNLOADING MEcHANIsM Pon MIXING DRUMs OE OTHER REGEPTAGL APPLIOATION PILED APR. 13, 1912.

Patented May 27, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. B. HAHN. LOADING AND UNLOADING MEGHANISM FOR MIXING DRUMS OR OTHER REGEPTAGLES.

APPLIOATION HLED APR.13.'1912.

1,063, 159.. I Patented May 27, 1913.

8% sEEETs-SHBET z.

M. M g Mi) 8m/ W. B. HAHN;

LOADING AND UNLOADING MBCHANISM FOR MIXING DRUMS OR OTHER REGEPTAGLES. APPLIGATION PILED APR.. 13, 1912.

1,068, 1. 59., Ptntea May 27, 1913.

5 BHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. B`. HAHN. LOADING AND UD'ILOADING MECHANISM FOB. MIXING DRUMS OR OTHER RECEPTAGLES.

' APPLIOATION PILED APE. 13, 1912.

'1,063,159. Patentea May 27, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SEEET 4.

(flame/11a WILLIAM BERTO'N HAHN, OF PARIS, TEXAS.

LOADING AND UNLADING MECHANISM FOR MIXING-DBUMS OR OTHER RECEFTACLES. V

1,ooa,159.

Specification of Letters atent.

ratntea May 27, raia.

Application fiia April 13, 1912. serialno. 690,535. V

To all whom it may comem:

Be it 'known that I, WILLIAM BERTON HAHN, a citizen o-f the United States, re-

sidingM at Paris, in the county of Lamar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loading and Unloading Mechanism for Mixing- Drums or other Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

The. chief purpose ofthis invention ls to improve the practical working of asphalt and concrete mixers by regulat-ing.

the alternate action of the loading and u nloading mechanism .and insuring .its efliciency and certainty of action. It is, however, obviously applicable to other receptacles, 'arts and purposes.`

To this end the said invention consists mainly in certain improvements in mechanism for operating the pivoted charg'ing bucket; in certain improvements in mechanism for hangingand operating the discharging spout; in certain improvements in mechanism combining with the latter a cut-'off suspending both lthe door and the spout from the same shaft and causing their alternate action andcoperation; in certain mechanism for combining the action of said` spout and charging bucket in order that the driving shaft may throw them into operativo position; in certain yielding adjustable mechanism whereby the movement of the' discharge spout in one direction will automatically cease when a certain predetermined degree of strain is reached and in divers incidental features of improvement, all asfhereinafter set forth and claimed. o

In the accompanying'drawings: Figure 1 represents a side elevation o-f a mixing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a similar view of the other side of the machine, facing in the opposite direction; Fig. 3, an end elevation of the machine, illustrating the feeding and discharging operations, the charging bucket 'being shown in its upper and lower positions respectively in solid and dotted-lines and the discharge spout being shown in three positions, position one in solid lines, the others in dotted lines; Fig. 4, a Vhorizontal section on the line 4.-4 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3; Fig. 5, a detail vertical central section on the mixing drum andof certain proximate parts, some of thelatter being in elevation and other partly broken away; Fig. 6, a detail, central section of a sprocket wheel on the rockshaft through which the discharge spout is operated; Fig. 7, some of the devices, partly in section and partly in elevation, for operating' said rock-shaft from the countershaft of the engine; Fig. 8 represents in central section the clutch devices .used in operating the feed spout; and Fig. 9, represents in detail, vertical section the rockshaft operating clutch and bevel gears,'

.and mixing mechanism carried by transporting wheels B.

In the complete machine as usually constructed a furnace C and boiler D are mounted on opposite sides of said truck, the former for supplyino' hot air, when desired, through a plpe Ebto the interior of the mixing drum I, the latter (D) for supplying steam through. pipe H ,to an engine 'F having smoke stack f and supported in frame G on said truck, said engine being provided with the usual lgovernor J, piston rod K, cross-head L and pitman M, the latter connected by-crank O to the driving shaft o-f the machine. Said drum is of the ordinary double conoidal form having a broad cylindric'al middle part and provided with annular tracks 4 whereby it turns two pairs of wheels 2 mounted at fixed points of the said truck. Said drum also has a Vpair of cog-wheels 5 driven by said driving shaft, suitable gearing which may consist for example of gear-wheel 9 and pinions 7 on shaft 8 and the connecting gears 3 and 6. A counter ,shaft 10 and its gear wheel 11 are driven byan additional pinion 12 on said shaft 8. The fly-wheel 13 of shaft N is also a belt wheel, being utilized to drive a draft fan 15 when the air is to be forced through pipe E. The drum has as usual an internal series of buckets or stirrers 16. The construction of said drum is not asA claimed in the present application, nor are any of the heating or power-supplying devices, but it has been thought best to show the machine as a whole that the cooperation of the subject matter claimed may appear.

The sand is delivered into the receiving end of the mixing drum by means of a tilting chargingzbucket 19 having an elongated tapering spout 20, which is pivoted at its discharging end to'brackets 21. on a fixed part of the frame 22 at such a height and such a position thatwhen said charging bucket is raised until the said spout inclines downward the sand or other material will be discharged from said bucket through said spout into said drum, as shown in Fig. 3. The crude asphalt or any substituted tarry substance is supplied through a hopper 23 and an upright pipe 24 (Figs. 2, and 5) toV said drum at the same charging end. This pipe also receives watery and oil or either of -these liquids alone as preferred, from a combination water and oil tank 25 and its branch pipe 26 connected to pipe 24, said tank being located on top of frame 22 over the drum P. Hand operated check Valves 27 and 28 control the downward flow of these materials through said pipes at all po-ints above their junction in order that the proportions of the asphalt and the oil and water or both and also the total supply may be varied at will. The asphalt or similar substituted material is often found too heavy to yield the best results and therefore it is diluted by these lighter 'and more freely moving materials, Which also supply ingredients often useful in concrete.

-. the end of said recess.

A cable 29 attached to the main body of the charging bucket 19 passes over a pulley 30 (F igs. 1, 2 and 3) on the highest point of the main frame 22 aforesaid, and thence down in contact with a guide-pulley 32 also mounted on said frame, to a winding drum 33 on the counter-driving shaft 10, so that as the latter turns the cable will be-continuously wound and the chargingI bucket lifted as set forth, until it reaches the inverted charging position above stated. There is a conoidal clut`ch engagement between a flanged disk 33a integral with said winding drum 33, which is normally free on said countershaft, but held against turning by a pawl 33b which engages a ratchet wheel 33 fast to said disk 33% and a complementary clutch disk 33d turning withflsaid shaft 10. The said shaft is provided with a crank handle 34 and rod 34a, which acts as a 'shifting lever; said rod being provided with screw-threads 34b engaging similar fixed threadsin the bearing of said shaft 10. Said rod 34a extends into the recessed end of said shaft 10, being adapted to abut against A pin 10al passes transversely through said shaft'and'is adapted to engage the side of said disk 33. Tolock said clutch disks the rod is turned in and forces said shaft 10, and said disk 33a through pin 10a, laterally inward. To allow theni to separate the rod 34a is turned outward.l Thus the drum 33 is freed or locked at will, according to .the direction in which said rod 34a is turned. Such release, and the disengagement by hand of pawl 33b from ratchct 33c permits the descent of said charging bucket. The annular flange of disk 33a has a circular periphery 35 and receives a brake band 36 operated by a brake lever 37 and crankshaft 37a (Fig. 4) to case the descent of said bucket.

-The mixing drum P discharges through a.

swinging inserted discharge spout 38, hung at its outer endl by pivot studs, hereinafter mentioned, on the lower end of a pair of arms 39, depending from a rock-shaft 40 (Figs. 1, 3 and 5) and moving therewith. Said rock-shaft has another arm 41 carrying a weight 42, which tends, when in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 3, to hold said 'arms 39 in vertical downward position. Said weighted arm may, however, be turned 'up into a vertical position when its action will be neutral, or over in a position of inclination the reverse of that shown in full lines as above, when its action would be the reverse of that stated and would tcnd to support the discharge spout in its outer and upper'position. Thesepositions are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The bearings 43 of said shaft are attached to a fixed part 44 of the machine frame.

In proximity to the lower end of said arms the said spout is provided with a stirrup-form or semi-circular casting 45 extending around the end of-said. spout and fixed thereto. On its sides a pair of lugs or bosses are cast as bases for integral lateral pivot studs 45a, which enter eyes in 'the lower ends of arms 39 and constitute swinging pivotal bearings for discharge spout 38.

VVhile the contents of the drum are being heated and said drum is not yet ready to Vdischarge, a door 47 closes the discharge aperture. This door slides down in fixed guideways 48 across said opening, for that purpose being lowered by means of `a small arm 40a attached to the rock-shaft 40 (F igs. 1 and 5) and a cable 40b attached to said ar'm and passing over a pulley attached to the main frame, thence down to the door 47 (Fig. 5) in such a position and in such a manner that when the rock-shaft is rocked the door will be operated as`above stated. To effect' the operation of said discharge spout 38, a sprocket wheel 50 is mounted on said rock-shaft 140 to turn therewith, which .sprocket wheel is connected by an endless chain .51 (Fig. 1) -with a sprocket wheel 52 Von shaft 8'aforesaid, Which bears a bevel 'the same when t-he door is opened.

mesmo gear 55 at its end. A' short shaft' 53 (Fig. 4) at right angles to shaft 8 is provided with a pair of bevel gears 54 normally loose on their shaft and always in contact with said bevel gear wheel 55 on opposite sides thereof. Each of these bevel gears 54 is provided with a clutch face 56 adapted to be engaged by a similar opposing face 57 on the end of a sleeve 58 splined on the center part of said shaft 53, said sleeve being operated normally by a shifting lever 54a (Fig. 7), the operation of which causes said sleeve to slide on said shaft and engage one or the other of the faces 56 as above stated, thus reversing the rotary motion of shafts 53 and 40 for the purpose stated.V

The bearings of shaft 53 are supported on a curved bracket arm 59, which is bolted atthe other end to a fixed part 60 of the machine frame, which also supports the bifurcated bearing 61 of the proximate end of the shaft 8.

The upper sprocket wheel is not in one piece, but consists of three'disksj The middle one 62 is provided with'the sprocket cogs and its peripheral part overlaps at the sides the smooth peripheral faces of the other disks 63 and 64, covering also intervening frictional washers` of leather or equivalent material 65. Disk 63 is fixed on the shaft 40, but disk 64 is splined on the end of said shaft and pressed against said middle disk 62 by a spring 66, the resilient action of whichis regulated by a nut 67 on screwthreads on the end of said shaft. The middle` disk 62 of this sprocket wheel is free on the shaft 40, except as it is held by the ifriction of the said disks v63 and`64 and the intervening washers, the amount of friction being governed as above stated. Consequently the sprocket and chain connection between shafts 8 and 40 will yield under a predetermined strain, which is setjust sufficient to draw the discharge spout 38 out of the drum P to allow a. batch of material to be mixed and then to lthrow it into the drum when the batch is ready to be discharged, which operation is effect-ed by the shifting of the lever 54a as above stated. A

stop 45a on casting 45 prevents the dischargeI spout from turning downward too farV on its pivotslas it withdraws from the drum P and holds it in proper position to renter A handle 45b 'also on the side of said casting is used in aiding this movement of said. spout to insureperfect accuracy of entrance and withdrawal by tilting said spout on its pivot. Two brackets 70 of cast iron riveted to the machine frame as shown provide bearings for the rock-shaft 40 and also sustain the weight of the discharge spout 38,-as the arms 39 are fastened to the rock-shaft 40, 'as above stated.

I bustible material.

dA pipe 69 (Fig. 2) of proper refractory material conveys the gaseous products of combustion from the furnace C to the mixing drum P, said pipe being lined with asbestos cement 69a or some other noncom- Said gases are forced through pipe 69 by a fan pipe 15a connected to the draft fan 15 and connected at` the other end to the bottom of furnacc C, said fan being 'driven by the belt 14 running over the fly wheel 13 as hereinbefore stated. The furnace C is needed whenever it is necessary to subject the bituminous mixture to intense heat for thoroughly combining the ingredients. But this is not necessary iu pl'oducing concrete and some other paving mixturcs. If desired the furnace C may then be advantageously removed or left on the main frame as desired. To permit this it is mounted on a frame or platform of its` own and-detachable at 71 from the main frame.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The engine being started, the mixing drum is driven, through the .connections stated, in regular rotation, and the sand or -rock or sand and rock or the natural rock asphalt is automatically dumped into the mixing drum by the charging bucket, while the liquid asphalt or any substituteis allowed to flo-w down in hand regulated proportions and total quantity through the pipes hereinbefore mentioned, and the heated gases are forced into the drum -by the fan and act on these ingredients, if such heating be needed. The mixing buckets, by their action while rotating, convert said ingredients into a plastic mass; When the mixture is ready to be discharged, the lever 54a is shifted and the shaft 40 is then acted on by means of the endless chain 51, which action causes the discharge spout to be inserted into the drum. The same action raises the door 47 and allows the' contents of the drum to run out into any receptacle or onto the ground, through the discharge spout. VVhen enough of the ingredients have run out, or it is necessary to reheat it, or there is occasion to recharge the drum, the lever 54a is again shifted and the discharge spout is withdrawn from the drum and the door drops down and closes the axial opening' of thedrum, holding the heat when heating asphalt and preventing the concrete from slopping out when mixing the same. The charging bucket will be automatically operated at regular intervals if the winding drum cr pulley 33 be alternately engaged and disengaged by its shifting lever and clutch aforesaid so as to alternately tiltthe said charging bucket for emptying, and return it to its normal position.

As I do not 'in the present application claim any specific features of the boiler, engine or furnace, it is unnecessary to minutely describe all their external features which are incidentally shown. The furnace may have a hydrocarbon burner 71 supplied through a pipe 72 by a pump 73 Which draws through a pipe 74 from the oil tank 25 or any other suitable source of supply. This pipe may be supplied with steam from the exha'ust pipe 75 of the engine and may exhaust through pipe 76, or it may be operated in any other convenient manner. The boiler has also the needed Water supply pipe and Waste pipe and all these pipes are provided With valves Where needed.- 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In discharging mechanism, a discharge spout therefor, pendant arms by Which said spout is suspended, a rock-shaft from Which said arms depend, gearing for rotating the said rock-shaft and reversing clutch devices for said gearing, whereby the direction of rotation of said shaft may be regulated at will, thereby mechanically swinging said spout alternately into and out of discharging position substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a pivoted charging bucket and a pivoted discharging spout, an intermediate receptacle supplied by the former and discharging through the latter, a driving shaft and connect-ons, distinct from said receptacle, between said shaft and bucket and said shaft and spout, said connections being arranged' and adapted to alternately move ,the .bucket into operative position while moving the spout into inoperative position and vice versa,

3. In combination With a pivoted charging bucket and a discharging spout, an intermediate receptacle supplied by the said bucket and discharging through said spout, pivoted suspending means to which said spout is pivoted outside of lsaid receptacle in order that said spout may be swung toward or from the receptacle in reversing its own positioni of inclination, a driving shaft, intermediate Connections distinctfrom said receptacle and including flexible Connections respectively between said shaft and bucket and between said bucket and spout, and de-.

vices for permitting the reverse movement of the last mentioned parts, in order that the bucket and spoutI may alternately take their operative positions as set forth.

4. In discharging mechanism, a discharge spout, in combination with a Weighted rockshaft provided with depending arms on which said spout is pivoted to swing as described, a rotating shaft, mechanism for driving the same,`and gearing between said shafts comprising a gear Wheel composed of disks held together in frictional contact by a spring which Will yield under a predetermined strain substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with a suspended door and a swinging spout arranged to -pass below it when said door is raised, a rock-shaft, devices for suspending said door from said shaft and causing it'to rise and fall with the rocking of the latterrand additional devices for suspending said spout from said rock-shaft and causing said spout to swing alternately inward and outward with reversal-of its position of inclina-tion, simul- (tianeously withi the rising and falling of said oor.

6. In combination With a vertically mov.- able suspended door, a swinging discharge spout`hung for movement into and out of discharging position as the said door ascends and descends, a rock-shaft provided with arms to which said spout is pivoted and with an additional arm `for suspending said door,

a flexible connection between the lattei` arm and said door and mechanism for operating said rock-shaft, including a gear wheel composed of'disks held in frictional contact by a spring, in order that 'itimay yield under. o

a predetermined strain substantially as set forth.

7. A swinging discharge spout provided with a stirrup-form casting 45 which is fixed on, the outer end of said spout, said casting having bosses on its sides' andpivot studs extending laterally therefrom, in combination With a hand lever attached to said casting, a pair of depending arms, provided with eyes which afi'ord bearings for said pivot studs, a rock-shaft on Which said arms are mounted to move therewith, and means for actuating said rock-shaftfor the alternate-movements of said spout.

8. In discharging mechanism,` a swinging discharge spout hung to be moved into discharging position and withdrawn therefrom, a suspended door for 'cutting oif discharge as the spout thus withdraws and permittingdischarge as ythe spout moves into itsl operative position, a rock-shaft provided 'with arms and means for suspending said spout and door therefrom, a Weight on said shaft tending to'turn it. in `one direction and mechanism for turning it in the other direction, said mechanism comprising a gear Wheel composed of spring pressed frictional parts adapted to yield under strain and provided with means for regulating the spring pressure in order to determine the point at which the weight shall overcome the frictional resist-ance of the wheel for the 'purpose set forth. t

9. A pivoted charging buclet., in combination with a cable and Winding drum for raising the free end of .said bucket to discharge the same, a shaft on Which said -drum -is freely mounted, mechanism for driving said drum, a clutchdisk turning With said drum and having an annular flange, a rakeband arranged for contact n'ith said flange,

va lever for applying said brake-band to said flange, a clutch disk turning With said shaft In testimony Whereof I afiix my signature in presence of t-Wo Witnesses.

and means for bringing said clutch disks WILLIAM BERTON HAHN' 5 into engagement or separatng them, the Witnesses: first mentioned disk thereby aiding both I W. F. MooRE,

in the clutohing and braking Operations. CHAs. RoAoH. 

